Although power-operated manure spreaders are commercially available, such equipment is generally bulky and expensive and is therefore well suited for use only by large profitable farms having sizable livestock operations. Even then, such equipment may not be entirely satisfactory. For example, a conventional manure spreader commonly takes the form of an attachment adapted to be hitched to a tractor, the spreader being selectively operable to distribute or spread the load as it is pulled by the tractor. To load the spreader, the farmer ordinarily uses a tractor equipped with a front-end loader; hence, a farmer with only one tractor must unhitch the tractor each time the spreader is to be loaded.
Since tractors are relatively slow speed vehicles, the use of a tractor-pulled manure spreader becomes particularly inefficient where the manure must be transported a substantial distance. Using a truck to transport the manure to the distant location effectively reduces hauling time but introduces other complications because a spreading operation is still needed.
Large feedlots have tackled this problem by using trucks with manure-spreading boxes permanently attached to the truck beds. Permanent attachment is a practical necessity because such a spreader is characteristically a heavy unit which operates when the manure load is advanced by chain drag towards the spreader at the rear of the bed. Frequent attachment and detachment of such a unit is not feasible from a practical standpoint and, in terms of economic realities, most livestock operations on small to medium sized farms cannot afford to maintain one truck just for transporting and spreading manure.
Accordingly, it is a principle object of this invention to provide a portable manure spreading apparatus suitable for use on the bed of an average farm truck. Since the manure would be spread directly from the truck, the problems and inefficiencies associated with the use of tractor-drawn spreaders are avoided. The spreader may be readily placed onto or removed from the bed of a farm truck using the front loader of a tractor; hence, the apparatus is particularly suitable for use on small to medium sized farms or, more specifically, on any livestock farm that has need for manure spreading equipment where economy will result from using a truck for spreading manure as well as for other purposes.
Manure spreaders must be sturdily built to stand the stress not only of carrying a large load but of the drag of the movement of the manure load to the spreader mounted at the rear of the machine. This necessarily makes them heavy and expensive. Our invention makes it possible to use a standard flatbed truck which is already capable of carrying the load. The drag-induced stress is eliminated since the load remains stationary on the bed while the spreader mechanism is moved forward into the manure. The stress caused by this motion is carried by the frame of the machine itself.
A further aspect of this invention lies in providing an apparatus which permits manure handling to be done at a faster rate with less equipment than currently employed. The faster rate results largely from less time spent in transit between the loading and spreading locations. In addition, less equipment is required than in the current methods of manure handling. The result is a lowering of labor and equipment costs, allowing the farmer to realize greater profit from his livestock operations.
In brief, the apparatus takes the form of a portable unit which may be easily placed upon and removed from the bed of an average-sized farm truck. The apparatus is placed at the rear of the bed and, in use, advances forwardly towards the load, chopping and shredding the manure and then propelling it in a metered and controlled pattern off of the rear end of the truck. When the apparatus reaches the front of the bed, having cleared the truck of most of its load, the direction of movement of the apparatus is reversed and, as the apparatus returns to its starting position, residual amounts of manure remaining on the bed of the truck are removed and thrown clear of the truck's rear end. The truck is then ready for another load of manure which would be placed on the truck bed in front of the retracted apparatus.
The apparatus includes a movable frame equipped with an impeller mechanism in the form of a transverse horizontal impeller shaft rotatably mounted upon the frame and equipped with a plurality of impeller blades. Power means, preferably in the form of a small internal combustion engine, is mounted upon the frame for rotating the impeller. Top and side shields are secured to the frame about the impeller to define a chamber, the top shield having a transverse front edge which is spaced above the lower limits of the side shields to define an entrance to such chamber. The top shield also has a transverse rear edge spaced above the lower limits of the side shields to define a discharge opening for the chamber. A deflector plate, spaced beneath the rear edge of the top shield, assists in directing the material discharged from the chamber by the impeller.
A feeder mechanism is supported by the frame in front of the impeller to engage and chop the manure into small pieces and feed them to the impeller through the entrance of the housing. A driving mechanism, preferably operated from the cab of the truck, advances the entire apparatus forwardly into contact with the load, such driving means being reversible so that after the load has been distributed the entire assembly may reverse its direction and return to its starting position at the rear of the bed. Ideally, the apparatus is provided with a scraper blade which operates to dislodge material from the bed of the truck as the apparatus travels rearwardly, directing such material towards the impeller chamber where it is contacted by the impeller and thrown rearwardly from the truck.
Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the specification and drawings.